Presentation Description:
Transgender, Transsexual and Gender Non-Conforming people have existed since the dawn of time. In some cultures we have been respected and celebrated, while in others persecuted. In New York State and the United States, we have seen a combination of legislation, court decisions and executive orders at various levels that have improved our legal protections, but these advances have engendered a backlash currently playing on the national stage.
Presenter Bio:
Joann Prinzivalli is an attorney, activist, long-time LOFT member, a co-founder of The LOFT’s trans group, and author of the still-to-be-enacted Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act and the trans-inclusive language used in the Westchester County Human Rights Law and Fair Housing Law. In 2009, Joann commenced a lawsuit to compel the New York City Board of Health to revise its birth certificate amendment rules for transgender people born in New York City, successfully defending against the City’s motion to dismiss, because the City’s regulations were “arbitrary and capricious.” She has served on the Westchester County Executive’s LGBT Advisory Board since its inception.